Friends of Clennon Lakes

Friends of Clennon Lakes Volunteer group restoring the bays finest wetland nature reserve back to its former glory.

Clennon Valley lakes were created in the early 1980’s providing a place for people and wildlife. The nature reserve areas were fenced, planted with saplings and a path created around providing a place for people and wildlife. Some management was carried out initially by the council and a few local volunteers but sadly very little work carried out in recent years with the exception of emergency wor

k and clearing of watercourses. The lakes and immediate surrounding area are a designated County Wildlife Site and a survey as recently as 2011 confirmed this status. The lack of proper management has seen the site gradually turning back to scrub and woodland with its footpaths that are almost un-walkable during the winter. There was a real risk the lakes would disappear - a very important part of this pocket nature reserve lost. A group of regular walkers recognised that something needed to be done and a Friends of Clennon Lakes is now being formed. The work carried out by the Friends of Clennon Lakes will be determined by the number of people volunteering to help, scrub clearance both on land and in water, path maintenance, enhancing wildlife opportunities, some tree felling and eventually even major silt dredging. The lakes could once again be a thriving wildlife haven, great place to walk and even provide a valuable educational resource.

16/06/2026

Day 7 of the pair of Coots that adopted a Tufted Duck Duckling at
Clennon Lakes. Still no sign of any other Tufted Duck chicks on the lakes. The chick is growing quickly and regularly foraging for itself but also taking food from the Coots plus benefiting from the excellent protection! There's been a Herring gull lingering close by but the coots do see it off.

12/06/2026

For the second day the single tufted duck duckling with no sign of an adult tufted duck nearby being looked after & fed by a pair of Eurasian Coots. I've never read or heard of coots 'adopting' another species chick - but this pair are doing a better job than the normal female tufties!

Just like watching BBC Springwatch nature continues to surprise us. This morning hoping to find our first Tufted Duck du...
11/06/2026

Just like watching BBC Springwatch nature continues to surprise us. This morning hoping to find our first Tufted Duck ducklings of the year it was a pleasure to see one, probably day or two old, fluffy duckling - darting into the undergrowth. Waiting to see if had the usual horde of siblings it re-emerged with an adult Coot. Knowing that Coots are aggressive and will kill other wildfowl and chicks, even eating eggs and chicks of other wildfowl, it was a tense moment. However watching in amazement the Coot dipped under the surface pulling up some vegetation, and probably some invertebrates, then gently offered it to the Tufted Duck duckling!!
Some research hasn't revealed any information regarding adoption by Coots of other species - but they do sometimes adopt other coot youngsters.
Good to see the Little Grebe still present but no sign of the young out on open water yet. the Canada Goose goslings are well grown now.
Paignton Zoo
Torquay Museum Society
Spotted Paignton
Goodrington North and South Beaches, Torbay
Goodrington, Roselands & Hookhills Community Partnership
RSPB
Devon Wildlife Trust
Devon Birds

A really good attendance for the June Friends of Clennon Lakes work party and we needed all hands to cut back the overgr...
08/06/2026

A really good attendance for the June Friends of Clennon Lakes work party and we needed all hands to cut back the overgrown paths after a month of rain and sunshine! 21 volunteers including 3 new hardworking helpers. That equates to around 63 man hours work and that doesn't include jobs done by some of the volunteers during the rest of the month. With Judging for the Green Flag awards this month with SWISCo we had to get the site looking great. The majority of the work force were involved in cutting raking and shovelling off the paths, work continued pulling out more willow and a big clump of Pendulous Sedge from Lake 3 ready for the de-silting this autumn. The meadow (which is looking brilliant) paths scythed back and raked off, memorial Oaks re-staked, sign being repainted, weirs cleared (really blocked up this month and stinking!) - two Common Eels were found in the weirs.
Thanks to all those that attended.
Hope to see as many of you for the next meeting Sunday 5th July 08.45-12noon. with judging for Britain in South West In Bloom during July we will need just as many hands on deck!!

Goodrington North and South Beaches, Torbay
Paignton Zoo
SWISCo
Spotted Paignton
Torbay in Bloom
Torquay Museum Society
Paignton Community News
Paignton Community Partnership
Goodrington, Roselands & Hookhills Community Partnership
John Fellows
Cllr Hayley Tranter for Goodrington with Roselands Ward
Torbay Together
Torbay Community Builders
Torbay Council
Hoburne Devon Bay
Devon Wildlife Trust
Devon Live
Cantina

Some notable dragonflies and plants around the lakes in the last few days.A couple of beautiful Bee Orchids on the meado...
05/06/2026

Some notable dragonflies and plants around the lakes in the last few days.
A couple of beautiful Bee Orchids on the meadow and the Grass Vetchlings back again this year. Given a bit of sunshine the Damselflies and Dragonflies put on a good show by far the rarest being the Red-veined Darters, at least 3-4 present today including mating and egg laying. Also a male Scarce Chaser - Clennon Lakes is noted as a priority site for this species. If searching for the latter look for the pale blue eyes - beware the common Black-tailed Skimmers and Broad-bodied Chasers also have blue abdomens.

British Dragonfly Society
SWISCo
Hoburne Devon Bay
Goodrington North and South Beaches, Torbay
Torquay Museum Society
Cantina
Devon Wildlife Trust
Paignton Zoo
Paignton Community News

05/06/2026

Despite being in an urban Torbay, Clennon Lakes is a haven for wildlife. Just listen to the bird song in this video clip, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Wren, Reed Warbler, Rooks, Jackdaw and not even early in the morning - this was mid afternoon today! What a fantastic area to ‘lose yourself’ in nature.

Why not come along and join our volunteer workparty on Sunday 7th June 08.45-12noon see previous post

Paignton Zoo
SWISCo
Goodrington, Roselands & Hookhills Community Partnership
Goodrington North and South Beaches, Torbay
Torbay Community Builders
Spotted Paignton
Hoburne Devon Bay

Work party Sunday 7th JuneThere's a lot of work to do next Sunday with the rain and then sunny weather the path edges ha...
31/05/2026

Work party Sunday 7th June

There's a lot of work to do next Sunday with the rain and then sunny weather the path edges have sprung up and in places need some attention and the weirs very badly blocked with floating pond weed.meet 08.45am by the container at the bottom of the lakes close to the Velopark fence. We will have a break around 10.30am bring a bring, snack and have a chat. Finish at 12 noon.

Work to be done:

1. Clear the weirs (3-4 people)
2. Cutting back path edges and raking off +cutting down vegetation in front of seats (5-6 people)
3. Shovelling off mud on paths and digging small trenches across to get rid of water (2-3 people)
4. Continue to cut back willows on lake 3 and digging out the pendulous sedge grass (5 people)
5. If the mower is working cut the paths on the wildflower meadow (1 person)

New volunteers always welcome - there will be a task for all abilities!

Paignton Community Partnership
Goodrington North and South Beaches, Torbay
Torbay in Bloom
Torbay Community Builders
Goodrington, Roselands & Hookhills Community Partnership
Paignton Community News
Paignton Zoo
SWISCo

With last weeks glorious weather, things around the lakes really came to life. We have witnessed the influx of Painted L...
31/05/2026

With last weeks glorious weather, things around the lakes really came to life. We have witnessed the influx of Painted Lady Butterflies - several Common Blue Butterflies on the meadow including this mating pair. A count of the Southern Marsh Orchids totalled 122 - an average year for them. One of the Mallard females has done well keeping her brood of ducklings safe from gulls and crows. Dragonflies and Damselflies have been showing well in the sunshine. Today a couple of interesting records the first record of a Great Northern Diver for the lakes albeit a migrating fly over migrant in full summer plumage - beak open for oxygen to feed those hard working muscles to power a heavy bird. Also a lovely Bee Orchid was located on the meadow - the 3rd year on the trot for this beautiful orchid.
Paignton Community Partnership
Paignton Zoo
Goodrington, Roselands & Hookhills Community Partnership
Cantina
Torbay in Bloom
Torquay Museum Society
Torbay Together
SWISCo
Torbay Council
Butterfly Conservation
Spotted Paignton
Goodrington North and South Beaches, Torbay
Cllr Hayley Tranter for Goodrington with Roselands Ward
John Fellows

Lovely shots of an Egret : Courtesy Julia Bibby
22/05/2026

Lovely shots of an Egret : Courtesy Julia Bibby

Action from around the Lakes Courtesy: Paul Snell
12/05/2026

Action from around the Lakes Courtesy: Paul Snell

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Clennon Lakes
Paignton
TQ47JP

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